{"id":4745,"date":"2026-07-23T12:36:04","date_gmt":"2026-07-23T12:36:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/relocationobserver.com\/?p=4745"},"modified":"2026-07-23T12:36:04","modified_gmt":"2026-07-23T12:36:04","slug":"international-cinema-union-criticizes-europes-approval-of-paramount-warner-bros-merger-it-has-based-its-decision-on-too-narrow-a-scope","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/relocationobserver.com\/?p=4745","title":{"rendered":"International Cinema Union Criticizes Europe\u2019s Approval of Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger: \u2018It Has Based Its Decision on Too Narrow a Scope\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\tThe International Union of Cinemas has criticized the European Commission\u2019s approval of the Paramount-Warner Bros merger, saying the decision was based on \u201ctoo narrow a scope.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n\tThe union, known as UNIC, represents the European theater trade, including cinema associations and operators, across 39 territories.<\/p>\n

\n\tWhile UNIC welcomed the EC\u2019s requirement for Paramount to cancel film distribution partnership with Universal in Europe in the next 13 months, its CEO Laura Houlgatte said \u201cwe strongly believe that the Commission could and should have gone further with its conditions for the merger\u2019s approval.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cOur sector raised numerous concerns with its competition department about the proposed deal, and the Commission\u2019s findings don\u2019t reflect that bigger picture,\u201d she added. \u201cIt has based its decision on too narrow a scope.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tAmong those risks, according to Houlgatte, are theatrical distribution arrangements outside the UIP territories as well as \u201ctheatrical windows, film diversity, preservation of film output and production pipelines, contractual practices and access to back catalogues.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n\t\u201cGiven that the transaction continues to face legal challenges based on such factors in the United States, it is clear that these broader concerns about the merger remain unresolved and unanswered,\u201d she said. \u201cUNIC will keep a close eye on developments in the U.S. and any potential consequences for Europe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tUNIC was among the parties who provided evidence to the EC about the $110.9 billion deal and its potentially negative impact on the sector.<\/p>\n

\n\tHoulgatte noted that UNIC was also disappointed that independent advisory body European Media Board did not examine the \u201cwider implications\u201d of the merger and its knock-on effects on media pluralism, cultural diversity and the audiovisual market.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe EC\u2019s conditions of approval also saw Paramount forbidden from co-distributing films with Universal in the EAA and using Paramount\u2019s distributor to distribute Warner Bros. films where it already distributes Universal or Disney films in certain countries, among other conditions.<\/p>\n

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The international cinema union has criticized the European Commission’s approval of the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4209,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[3341,2769],"class_list":["post-4745","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-film","tag-paramount-warner-bros-2","tag-warner-bros-discovery-2"],"yoast_head":"\nInternational Cinema Union Criticizes Europe\u2019s Approval of Paramount-Warner Bros. 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